Cutter chain for mining machines



June 27, 1939. 4 L MER 2,164,091

' CUTTER CHAIN FOR MINING MACHINES Original Filed Sept. 24, 1937 g I M9 is Patented June 27, 1939 FATENT OFFICE CUTTER CHAIN FOR llIINING MACHINES Joseph J. Slomer, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Application September 24,1937, Serial No. 165,471

a Y Renewed November 28, 1938 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in cutter chains for mining machines and more particularly relates to improvements in a cutter chain cutting bit and arrangement thereof.

Heretofore, mining machine cutter chains have either been provided with bits which may be removed and resharpened when dull, or with removable bits of a relatively small size having cutting points on both ends, which cannot be resharpened but are thrown away when both cutting points become dull. One of the disadvantages of the small type bits which are thrown away when dull is that they are of a relatively small cross section and frequently break during the cutting operation, due to their lack of stock in the direction of cutting.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a cutter bit of a small cross section which may readily be removed and thrown away when dull, and remedy the difficulty encountered by breakage of the bits by providing another bit in the same bit socket, which is of substantially the same cross sectional area as the first bit and backing or reinforcing the first bit by this second bit, so that the cross sectional area of the bits in each block may be suflicient to withstand the heavy stresses to which the bits are subjected, and may be substantially the same as that of the standard bit of the type which is resharpened.

My invention may best be understood with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of a cutter chain block, with parts broken away and shown in substantially longitudinal section, showing a pair of cutter bits constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention secured therein;

Figure 2 is an end view of the chain block drawn to a reduced scale, with parts broken away and shown in section; and

Figure 3 is a side View of the block shown in Figure 1, showing a worn bit backing up a sharp bit.

In the drawing, a cutter chain for mining machines is shown which is made up of a series of chain blocks ID, ID connected together by a series of straps II, II. The chain is an endless chain and passes about a sprocket which drives it, and is guided in a channeled or grooved guide formed in a cutter bar, which is adapted to project from the mining machine.

The cutter chain is made up of a series of chain blocks III, II) which extend in various angles from the plane of travel of the chain in order that the cutter bits therein may cut clearance for the 55 chain. This is a usual construction of cutter chains, and the various positions of the blocks and bits are not herein shown or illustrated further since they are no portion of my present invention. For the purpose of illustrating my invention one of the blocks having the bits located 5 at an intermediate angle with respect to the plane of travel of the chain, is shown.

Each cutter chain block is provided with a bit holding slot or aperture I2 which is adapted to receive a pair of bits I3, I3 arranged in abutting 10 relation with respect to each other so that one is disposed in advance of the other and the rear bit backs up the front one. As herein shown, the bits I3, I3 are made of fiat bar stock having a substantially uniform rectangular cross section 15 and having opposite ends thereof cut olT at an angle to define cutting points.

The bits I3, I3 are detachably held in the aperture I2 by means of a clamping member I4 which fits into an aperture I5 extending longi- 20 tudinally through the block and intersecting the aperture I2. Said clamping member includes a body portion I6. having a slot I'I intermediate its ends which is adapted to be aligned with the aperture I2 and receive the cutter bits I3, I3. The 25 rear end of said body portion is threaded and extends beyond the rear face of the block and has a nut I8 threaded thereon, to draw the bits against the rear face of the aperture I2 and hold them from movement with respect to the block in 30 an obvious manner. Said clamping member is retained in the block by means of a pin I9 extending through the block, which is adapted to engage a flattened surface formed on said clamping member.

A stop 20 is provided in the lower portion of the aperture I2 to hold the bits to the proper gauge which, as herein shown, is triangular or wedge shaped in form and is secured to the inside of said aperture adjacent the lower end thereof. 40 Said stop has an inclined face 2I inclined at the Same angle as the cutting edges of the bits, upon which said cutting edges are adapted to rest.

It may be seen from the foregoing that I have provided a new and improved form of cutter 45 chain which includes a novel form and arrangement of the bits in the chain so that two cutter bits may be clamped in a cutter chain block in such a manner that one may back up the other, so that the forward bit may be inverted in the 50 aperture I2 when one point thereof is dull, and so that when both points of the forward bit become dull the bit which backs up the forward bit may be placed in an advance position in the aperture I2, the dull bit backing up the sharp one.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that the construction thereof and the arrangement of the various parts may be altered Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting myself to the specific embodiment illustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a kerf cutting chain, a chain block having a bit receiving aperture therein and a plurality of bits mounted in said aperture, each of said bits being of a relatively small cross section having their ends cut away to define cutting points, said bits being arranged in abutting relation with respect to each other in said aperture one behind the other so that one bit forms a reinforcing means for the other.

2. In a kerf cutting chain for mining machines, a chain block having a bit receiving aperture therein, two cutter bits mounted in said aperture,

each of said bits being of a relatively small rectangular cross section and having their opposite ends cut away to define cutting points, and clamping means for removably holding said bits in said aperture in abutting relation with respect to each other, one behind the other so that both bits may be interchanged and used as cutting bits, and so that one bit may form a reinforcing means for the other.

3. In a kerf cutting chain, a chain block having a bit receiving aperture therein, two substantially similar cutter bits having their opposite ends cut away to define cutting points, said bits being mounted in said aperture one behind the other and one bit forming a reinforcing member for the other bit along their abutting faces, and clamping means for removably holding said bits in said aperture so that either bit may be used interchangeably as the cutting bit and the other bit may form a reinforcing member for the cutting bit.

JOSEPH J. SLOMER. 

